Apparatus for applying elastic lip-protectors to cigars or the like.



0. HAMMERSTEIN.

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING ELASTIC LIP PROTECTORS T0 CIGARS OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 20, 1912.

1,116,419, Patented N0v.10,1914.

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APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 20, 1912.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING ELASTIC LIP-PROTECTORS TO CIGARS OR THE LIKE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN, citizen of the United States, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Applying Elastic Lip-Protectors to Cigars or the like, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus for applying elastic lip protectors, such as for instance thin rubber tubes of the desired length, to cigars or the like and has for its object to provide a simple and eiiicient mechanism whereby this result may be effectively accomplished.

My improvement will be fully described hereinafter and the features of novelty will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate an example of my apparatus and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of said apparatus; Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof showing the mechanism in a different position; Figs. 8 and 4 are plan views showing the parts in two different positions and Fig. 5 is a view of a cigar with the lip protector applied thereto.

The protector as shown comprises a preferably cylindrical tube 1 of thin rubber or any other suitable elastic material cut into the desired lengths. When in operative position this lip protector'surrounds the cigar 2 or the like, adjacent to the head thereof as clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Owing to the fact that the cigar is tapered at the head and the protector is substantially cylindrical, the said protector when in position will have its inner end 3 in close engagement with said cigar while its outer end 4 will be free and out of contact therewith. Thus the protector will be firmly held in position on said cigar by friction and vet will not interfere with the drawing qualities thereof. In applying such lip protectors to cigars and the like I first stretch the said protector by applying pressure at spaced points on the interior surface of said protector, said pressure bein exerted toward the outside and tending to distend the protector at all points of its periphery beyond the dimensions of the cigar to which it is to be applied. The head of the cigar is then inserted into one end of said distended Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 20, 1912.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914. Serial No. 737,821.

protector and moved lengthwise thereof to the desired extent after which the pressure is removed to permit the said protector to contract into engagement with said cigar. When this has been accomplished the distending means is withdrawn leaving the protector located upon the cigar as shown in Fig. 5.

The apparatus illustrated in the accompanying drawings is adapted to readily and quickly accomplish the above result without injury to the protector or to the cigar. This apparatus as shown comprises a base 5 of a size and shape to form a solid foundation for the mechanism and carrying an upright standard 6 shown best in Figs. 1 and 2. This standard 6 may form an integral part of the base or be detachably secured to lugs 7 thereof by means of screws or other fastening means 8 as illustrated best in Fig. 1. A support preferably comprising radially extending connected arms 9 is fastened to the upper end of said standard 6 in any suitable manner as by means of screws 10 or if desired may be constructed as an integral part of said standard. These arms 9 carry at their outer ends upwardly extending lugs 11 from which project pins or projections 12 the purpose of which will appear more fully farther on in the'description. A plate 13 is rotatably mounted on the support 9 by means of a collar 14 in such a position that its upper surface is preferably substantially flush with the upper ends of the lugs 11 and below the free ends of the projections 12 'as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The said collar 14 is secured to a shaft 15 which extends through the support 9 and is journaled in a vertical bearing 16 forming part of or secured to the standard 6. The said shaft 15 projects through said bearing 16 and carries a lever 17 secured to its projecting portion in any suitable manner as by means of a screw 18. said lever 17 projecting through an opening 6 in the standard 6 and in turn having its free end pivotally connected at 19 with a link 20 as shown best in Fig. 1. The opposite end of said link 20 is pivotally connected at 21 with a rocking arm 22 journaled in a horizontal bearing 23 extending outwardly from the standard 6, said arm 22 having a finger piece 24 located at its one end and carrying a counter balance weight 25 at its opposite end as illustrated in Fig. 1. Levers or arms 26 are pivotally connected at 27 with the plate 13 so as to be movable adjacent to the upper face thereof and project beyond said plate 13 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the proj ecting ends of the levers 26 being forked as indicated at 28 and in engagement with the pins 12 which project upwardly from the lugs 11. At their inner ends the said levers 26 carry upwardly extending rods or prongs 29 of relatively small diameter which are rigidly connected with said levers or arms so as to be movable therewith and are of a length corresponding approximately to the axial length of the lip protectors 1, said rods 29 being pointed at their upper ends if desired. The rocking'arm 22 is preferably provided with an internally screwthreaded projection 30 through which projects an adjustable screw 31 adapted to engage the base 6 and limit the rocking movement of the arm 22 in one direction.

In the normal condition of the apparatus the parts are in the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 in which position the rods 29 are in close proximity to each other and the finger piece 24 of the arm 22 is in an elevated position, the mechanism being maintained in this condition by means of the weight 25. When it is intended to utilize the apparatus a lip-protector 1 is placed or slipped upon the rods or prongs 29 this being easily possible owing to the fact that said rods are in close proximity to each other. After this has been done a downward pressure is exerted on the finger piece 2% to causethe arm 22 to be rocked in its bearing 23 against the resistance of the weight 25 and until the end of the screw 31 comes into contact with thebase 5. This rocking movement of the arm 22 will exert a push on the link 20 and will in consequence swing the lever 17 ina horizontal plane and rotate the shaft 15 in its bearing 16, which rotative movement will be communicated to the collar 14: and plate 18. Owing to the fact that the pins 12 are rigid or stationary and in engagement with the forked ends of the levers 26 this rotation of the plate 13 will cause the said levers 26 to swing about their pivots in a direction to cause said rods or prongs 29 to move away from each other or to become spread apart as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. As the saidrods orprongs 29 are thus moved a pressure will be exerted thereby on the inner surface of theprotector 1 toward the outside and will thus distend or stretch said protector beyond the outer dimension of the cigarythe said protector in this condition having an approximately rectangular form, and being of greater diameter at all points of its periphery than is the cigar. The head end of the cigar 2 may now be readily inserted into the stretched or distendedprotector 1 to the desired extent after which, if. the,

pressure is removed from the finger piece 24, the weight 25 will swing the arm 22 back toward its normal position and through the medium of the link 20 lever 17 and shaft 15 will rotate the collar 14 and plate 18 in the reverse direction. This operation will also be assisted by the pressure exerted by the protector 1 on the rods 29 as said protector contracts or tends to resume its normal condition. The return of the parts toward normal position will be finally arrested as the rods 29 come into engagement with the cigar, in which condition those portions of the protector which are between each two rods 29 will be in frictional engagement with the outer surface of said cigar. An upward pull on the cigar will accordingly carry the protector along with it and will finally remove said protector from the rods 29 properly located on the cigar. This upward movement of the cigar is preferably brought about by grasping between the thumb and. a finger, those portions of the protector which are located between the rods or prongs 29, so that the pressure of the thumb and finger will assist the friction between the cigar and protector to hold these elements against separation during this operation and to remove the protector from the prongs 29. The rods 29 being very smooth and of relatively small diameter will offer very little or no re-' sistance to this operation and will not damage either the cigar or the protector. As soon as the protector and cigar have been thus combined and completely removed the parts of the mechanism will return to their initial positions under the influence of the weight 25 afterv which the machine is again ready for operation.

It will readily be seen that my improved apparatus v is particularly adapted for rapidly and efiectively applying elastic lipprotectors to cigars, and is not liable tobecome disarranged or to injure either the cigar or the protector. The screw 31 may be adjusted to limit the rocking movement of the arm 22 in one direction to any extent desired and thus prevent excessive strain or stretch from being imposed on the protectors 1 in distending the same as described.

The protectors become firmly affixed on the cigar or the like and may be thrown away with the butt when the cigar has been sulficiently consumed.

I wish it distinctly understood that when speaking ofcigars, I intend to include cigarettes or the like; the machine as described may also be adapted for applying elastic tubes or hands to articles other than cigars or the like and I desire the claims to be construed accordingly. The apparatus may also be power driven instead of manually operated if desired.

Various ch nges; in. the fo m of my invention described and shown may be made within the scope of the claims Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim 1. An apparatus for applying tubular, elastic lip-protectors to cigars, comprising a plurality of pivoted arms, parallel prongs carried by said arms and adapted to be inserted into said protector, said prongs extending from said arms in a direction substantially parallel to the pivotal axes thereof and means for actuating said arms simultaneously whereby said prongs are moved away from each other to evenly distend said protector and returned toward normal position to permit said prote tor to contract, said prongs remaining substantialy parallel to each other during such movements.

2. An apparatus for applying tubular,

elastic lip-protectors to cigars, comprising a movable carrier, a plurality of stationary projections, a plurality of arms pivotally mounted on said carrier and having one end in engagement with said projections, prongs carried by said arms and adapted to be inserted into sald protector and means for moving said carrier whereby said arms are swung about their pivots and said prongs are moved away from each other to distend said protector and returned to normal posi tion to permit said protector to contract.

3. An apparatus for applying tubular, elastic lip-protectors to cigars, a support, a plurality of stationary projections on said support, a rotatable carrier, a plurality of arms pivotally mounted on said carrier and having one end forked and in engagement with said projections, prongs projecting up- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the wardly from said arms and adapted to be inserted into said protector, a rocking arm on said support and operatively connected with said carrier whereby said carrier is rotated and said arms are swung about their pivots to move said prongs away from each other and distend said protector and means connected with said arm for returning it toward normal position to permit said protector to contract.

at. An apparatus for applying tubular, elastic lip-protectors to cigars, a support, a plurality of stationary projections on said support, a rotatable carrier, a plurality of arms pivotally mounted on said carrier and having one end forked and in engagement with said projections, prongs projecting upwardly from said arms and adapted to be inserted into said protector, a shaft journaled on said support and connected with said carrier, a lever secured upon said shaft to move therewith, a rocking arm on said support, a link pivotally connected with said lever and said rocking arm, a finger piece for actuating said arm whereby said prongs are moved away from each other to distend said protector and a weight carried by said arm for returning said prongs toward normal position and for permitting said protector to contract.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN.

Witnesses:

J OHN A. KEHLENBECK, WVILLIAM IVECKMANN.

Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, I). G. 

